Reel support



Feb. 15, E9496 w. R SPILLER ET AL ZAflfifiS REEL SUPPORT Original Filed May 31, 1943 Patented Feb. 15 1949 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE REEL SUPPORT William R. Spiller and Leo 1). Barley, Dayton, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Acme Steel Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Original application May 31, 1943, Serial No. 489,116, now Patent No. 2,398,053, dated April 9, 1946. Divided and this application May 4, 1945, Serial No. 591,898

10 Claims.

all times and which is moveable' from its operative to an inoperative position to make possible the removal of an empty reel and the replacement thereof with a full reel, quickly and easily and with a minimum of work on the part of the operator.

It is a further object to provide a reel'support for a stitching machine which is readily adjustable in a simple and effective manner to receive reels of different sizes and to develop an adjustable and predetermined resistance or drag upon the unwinding action of the reel.

It is also an object to provide such a reel support having an adjustable and predetermined tension or drag upon the unwinding action of the reel which is not affected by the replacement of the reel, being reestablished at the desired value immediately upon the replacement of the the empty reel with a full reel.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective looking toward a wire sitching machine constructed in accordance with the present invention as viewed from the operators position and showing the machine in inverted position;

Fig. 2 is a view in section through the reel sup- I porting mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the latch mechanism for the reel support on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a detail view in elevation looking toward the reel support in'the direction of the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing which discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention, the

machine is shown as being substantially completely enclosed within a housing or casing ID. The casing is enlarged at its forward end as shown at H to provide for receiving a sitcherhead I3 therein, such stitcher head being of usual for rotation of the entire mechanism about a horizontal axis. The machine may be supported by means of a rod ll attached to the clamp ring it, and having a hook M3 by means of which it may be suspended from an overhead support such as a cable, crane, or other suitable means.

The drive motor shown at 26 is also supported from and rotatable with casing ID, the motor being controlled by switch 2i, and suitable hand grips 22 and 23 incorporate additional control over the actuation of the machine and facilitate. its proper manipulation. The machine is shown. and described more fully in parent application. Serial No. 489,116, filed May 31, 1943, now Patent; No. 2,398,053 of which the present application. is a division.

With a machine of the present construction it becomes necessary to replace the reel containing the wire which is fed to the stitcher head mechanism more or less frequently, and it is desirable to be able to do so rapidly and easily and without altering the tension or drag which is applied to the reel after the machine has been properly adjusted. Such drag on the reel is desirable to prevent overrunning of the reel and to maintain a substantially uniform tension in the wire as it is unwound by the action of the stitcher head drawing the wire therefrom. For this purpose a stud or pin 30 projects outwardly from the casing from which is rotatably mounted a reel engaging clamp member 3|, the dished central ,part thereof providing clearance to receive:

the usual nut on the outer face of the reel itself. The outer part of clamp member 3! is formed.

with a plurality of outwardly directed flanged fingers 32 which engage and bear against the face of the spool or reel 33 well outwardly of the axis thereof. The clamp member Si is urged against the face of the reel by spring 34 which bears against a friction surface 35 on the lower face of clamp member 32; movement of the member 3| on stud 30 is limited by means of a collar 36 on the upper end of the stud.

A similar dished clamp or engaging member I member 38 is supported in its socket 39, such sur-- face being indicated at 43. p

Bracket 40 is adiustably supported by arm 44 which has an elongated slot 45 therein through which there project the screws 46 secured to the end of-the bracket. By loosening'the screws, the bracket may be moved on the arm thereby moving clamp 38 closer to or farther from clamp 32, and adapting the mechanism for receiving reels of different width. Movement of the bracket under pressure with both clamps in contact with the reel will also vary thetension' inlspring-'34, with the result that the frictionaidr'ag' developed by the rotation of the clamp membersin their supports will also be varied, the setting of the bracket arm thus providing a means' for predetermining and adjusting the "frictional drag dur-" ing the unwinding action of the reel.

Arm 44 is pivotally mounted on pin 48 car-' latching engagement with a fixedabutment 52.

The latch may be manually withdrawn" by'rneans or handle part 53' to release the plunger and to "provide thereby for the swinging of the arm and the bracket to a release position where the reel may be removed and replaced between the clamp members.

With the construction as disclosed, this operation doe not bring aboutany change in the frictional drag imposed on the unwinding of the reel, the insertion of afresh reel and the latching of the 'upper'bra'cket into its operative position as shown providing for "reestablishment of the tension originally present. 'This operation requires no adjustment'or other manipulation on the part of the operator and is completed by the simple movement of theibracket into its operative position in which it is automatically latched and held until released. It will b be further noted that all portionsof the reel engaging mechanism are mounted in fixed rela tion with respect to the casing and hence will not be lost or misplaced'at any time during the various uses of the machine.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments of theinven tion, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms'of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without "departing from" the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. In a wire stitching machine the-combinafor .rotatably mounting said member for rotation with the reel as the wire is unwoundthere- ";from, a second clamp member mounted on said machine independently of said first clamp memher for engaging the opposite side of said re'e'l, means pivotally mounted on'said machine having a predetermined operative-position for adjustably mounting said s'econdclamp'meniber in engaging relation with said-opposite side of the reel, and means for releasably:retainingsaid piv-' otally mounted means in said operative position .and providing for quick release thereof'to' effect removal and replacement of saidreel.

2. In a wire stitching machine the c'o-n'ibination of a reel support comprising a clamp mem- .ber for one side of the reel,.'means supported in fixe-d' relation with respect to saidmachinefor rotatably mounting .said member for rotation ..-with the reel as the'wire is unwound therefrom, a second clamp memberifor engaging the: opposite" 2 side of said reel, means mounted on said machine having an operative position for adjustably mounting said second clamp member in en- 'gagin-g' relation with-said' opposite side of the reel, means for relea'sablyretaining said mounting means in said operative position and providing for quick release thereof to eifect'removal and replacement of said reel, and means for restraining rotation of at least one of said memll) 1 hers to establisha drag on the unwinding action I of the reel.

33-In =awirestitching machine the combination of a. reel support comprising a clamp member adapted to engage one side of a reel, means for ro- -tatab1y-mounting said clamp member upon said machine for r'otation with the reel as the wire is unwoundtherefrom, a second clamp member mounted on said machine independently of said first clamp member for engaging the opposite 2() side of the reel, means pivotally carried bysaid "machine and" having an operative position for "mounting said second tia'mp member in engaging relation" with" the 'oppositesideof the-"reel for ro- 'tation therewith" as "the wire unwound therefrom,'and' means for adjusting the spading of said second clampon it'ssaid. mounting means to change its relation "with said first mentioned clamp member inl s'aid operative position thereof to receive reels of different "width therebetween.

Ina wire stitching-machine theicoinbination of a reel support comprising a clampmember adapted to engage one side of. a reel, means'for irotatably mountin'g said clamp member upon' said machine for rotation with the reel as the Wire is unwoundtherefrom, a second clamp-member'for engaging the opposite side of the reel, means carried by said mac hine-andhavinga predetermined operative position for adjustably mount- 40 5 ing said second clamp member in engaging relationwiththe oppositeside of the-reel for rotation therewith as the wire is unwound therefrom, means for releasably retaining said mounting meansin saidoperative position and provide for quick release thereof to effect removal and replacement of said reel, .means for subjecting at least one of said clamp members to v a predetermined frictionupon rotation thereof to establish a predetermined'tension in the wire-supplied to said machine, said friction being automatically reestablished -at the predetermined value upon the assembly of said clamp members and said reel in said predetermined; operative position.

5. In a wire stitching machine of the character described, the combination'of a reel support'comprising clamp members for receiving the reel "therebetween, means 'for rotatably mounting said 7 clamp members uponsaid -machine for :rotation is with the reel as the wire is unwound therefrom,

adjustable means for supporting one of -'said clamp members for movement to an inoperative position to provide for removaland replacement of said reel-and to a predetermined operative po- "1 5 sition in which one of said clamp members is in fixed spacing relative to the other said clamp member, said. adjustable means and its associated clamp member remaining attached to said -m'achine insaid inoperative position,' 'means for releasably retaining said adjustablesupp'orting :means in *said' predetermined operative position, and yieldable means separate from said retain- :ing'means for urging'said clamp members towards each other"inclampingengagement with "'75 said reel' and cooperating witness-clamp mentherebetween, yieldable means carried by one of said clamp members for urging said clamp members toward each other in operative position in clamping engagement with the reel, adjustable means for supporting the other of said clamp members for movement to an inoperative position to provide for removal and replacement of said reel, means for releaseably retaining said adjustable supporting means in a predetermined operative position, means for adjusting the spacing between said clamp members in said operative position to predetermine the tension in said yieldable means and to provide for receiving reels of different width, and friction means establishing a frictional drag upon the rotation of at least one of said clamp members varying with the tension existing in said yieldable means.

7. In a wire stitching machine of the character described the combination of a reel support comprising clamp members for receiving the reel ment to an inoperative position to provide for re- 4 moval and replacement of said reel and to a predetermined operative position in which said one clamp member is in fixed spacing relative to the other said clamp member, means for releaseably retaining said adjustable supporting means in said operative position, means for adjusting the spacing between said clamp members to predetermine the tension in said yieldable means and to provide for receiving reels of different width, means for releasing said adjustable supporting means to allow movement thereof to said inoperative position providing for replacement of the reel, said adjustable supporting means when returned to its said operative position reestablishing thetension in said yieldable means at said predetermined value to maintain a desired frictional drag upon the rotation of the reel.

8. In a stitching machine of the character described having an enclosing casing adapted to receive stitching mechanism therein, the combination of means on said casing for removablyand replaceably supporting a wire reel enclosing a stud fixed to and projecting outwardly from said casing, a clamp member rotatably supported on said stud and adapted to engage the side of the reel for rotation therewith, a cooperating pin, means for pivotally supporting said pin in opposed relation with respect to said stud, a clamp member rotatably supported on said pin and adapted to engage the opposite side of the reel and to be rotated therewith, yieldable means for urging said clamp members toward each other and into engagement with the opposite sides of the reel, frictional means effective between at least one of said clamp members and its support for resisting the unwinding action of the reel, and latch means providing for the withdrawal of said pin for removal and replacement of the reel while maintaining a predetermined frictional drag upon a replacement reel during the unwinding thereof.

9. In a stitching machine of the character described having an enclosing casing adapted to nation of means on said casing for removeably and replaceably supporting a wire reel including a stud fixed to and projecting outwardly from the casing, a clamp member rotatably mounted on said stud and adapted to engage one side of the reel for rotation therewith, yieldable means for urging said clamp outwardly of said stud and into engagement with the reel, a cooperating pin, means for pivotally supporting said pin in opposed relation with respect to said stud providing for receiving the reel therebetween, a clamp member rotatably mounted on said pin, a friction element effective between one of said clamp members and the mounting thereof adapted to establish a variable frictional drag to restrict the unwinding of the reel in accordance with the pressure effective upon said clamp member and its said supporting means, and means for adjusting said supporting means to establish a predetermined pressure urging said clamp members toward each other creating a predetermined frictional drag upon the unwinding of said reel.

10. In a stitching machine of the character described having an enclosing casing adapted to receive stitching mechanism therein, the combination of means on said casing for removably and replaceably supporting a wire reel including a stud fixed to and projecting outwardly from the casing, a clamp member rotatably mounted on said stud and adapted to engage one side of the reel for rotation therewith, yieldable means for urging said clamp outwardly of said stud and into engagement with the reel, a cooperating pin, means for pivotally supporting said pin in opposed relation with respect to said stud providing for receiving the reel therebetween, a, clamp member rotatably mounted on said pin, a friction element eifective between one of said clamp members and the mounting thereof adapted to establish a variable frictional drag to restrict the unwinding of the reel in accordance with the pressure efiective upon said clamp member and its said supporting means, means for adjusting said supporting means to establish a predetermined pressure urging said clamp members toward each other creating a predetermined frictional drag upon the unwinding of said reel, means for releasing said pin and. its associated clamp member from operative position providing for movement thereof to a release position for removal and replacement of the reel, and means for latching said releasing means in reassembled position with the same pressure adjustment pro- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 423,793 Milstead Mar. 18, 1890 1,196,740 Palmer Aug. 29, 1916 2,149,631 Rodda Mar. 7, 1939 2,337,112 King Dec. 21, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 365,576 Germany Dec. 18, 1922 

